March 7, 2004
BALTIMORE - UMBC would get a two RBI pinch-hit double by Jon Gossard, to give the Retrievers an 8-6 win over the Fairfield University baseball team Saturday afternoon, at the Baseball Factory Field on the campus of UMBC. Saturday's game was the 2004 season opener for the Stags.
UMBC (1-8) jumped out ot an early lead thanks to a Dan Carpenter leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning. The Retrivers added another run on a Kyle Wilsasin RBI base hit. UMB would contol the early portion of the game, taking a 4-0 lead through five innings, allowing just one Stag (0-1) hit.
However, Fairfield would eventually get thing going, as sophomore Doug Anderson and senior Mike Wray, samcked back-to-back doubles, to cut the lead to 4-2. In the top of the seventh inning, the Stags would tie the game and also score the go ahead run in the seventh inning after senior Jim Sheridan led off with a homerun. Anderson reached base after being hit-by-a-pitch, and moved up to second, after Wray grounded out. Senior Nick Hudyma would stroke a double to bring home, Anderson, and Andy Lynn would vring home Hudyman to give Fairfield a 5-4 lead.
After a 40-minute rain delay, the Retrievers were able to take advantage of Fairfield mistakes, as Wildsain and Mike Orlando both reach on errors, and would later come come off a double by Gossard to put UMBC in front 6-5. The Retrivers would add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out single by Wilsasin.
In the top of the ninth inning Fairfield would add another run, as Hudyma singled, and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder, to put a runner in scoring postion for the Stags. After a fly-out to left field, and a senior Sal Mancuso walk, senior Antuan Barnett ripped a double to left field plating Hudyma. The Fairfield rally would end, after the UMBC first baseman turned a double play to end the ball game.
Hudyma led the Stags at the plate, going 2-for-5, with a run batted in and two runs scored. Barnett and Lynn also went 2-for-5 with a run batted in. Tim Dugan took the loss in relief of Tom Maisano who pitched six innings giving up seven hits, four runs, and one walk. He struck out four UMBC hitters on the aftern. Dugan gave up three runs on four hits and one walk in two innings of relief. He had one strikeout and one wild pitch.
The two teams will go at it again on Sunday afternoon, at the Baseball Factory Field at UMBC. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
